A Quick Guide to the Master Cleanse / Lemonade Diet
Over 70 years ago, the Master Cleanse was developed by Stanley Burroughs and it was re-promoted by Peter Glickman’s on his website in 2003. It wasn’t popular until it was promoted by Beyonce Knowles on the Ellen DeGeneres show who claimed that she lost 20 pounds on the diet. Since then a number of celebrities have used the diet and Glickman’s book has been showcased in the New York Times, NBC Today and CBS News.
When Stanley Burroughs developed the Master Cleanse, it was originally designed as a detox program. In contrast, the modern press has focused on the ability of the diet to shed pounds.
The Master Cleanse diet is relatively simple and consists of three steps. In the morning, you drink 2 teaspoons of salt dissolved in a quart of water. During the day, you drink 6 to 12 lemonade cocktail which is made from spring water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper. The exact recipe is:
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
- 2 tablespoons grade-B organic maple syrup.
- 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- 10 ounces filtered water.
In the evening, you drink a herbal laxative. No solid food is allowed on the diet.
After 4 to 14 days, you slowly reintroduce food beginning with vegetable soup, then fresh fruit and vegetables.
During the detox you will develop side effects as the toxins are removed from you body. This can include irritability, cravings, tiredness, nausea, aches and pains, headaches and hot bowel movements.